Chapter 10: Changes In Contract
1001 Words
"It’s nothing," I answered quickly, putting my phone back into my pocket. "Just my mother."
Alexander didn’t appear persuaded. His keen stare stayed at me, assessing my body's movement.
"Isabella," his voice was low, strong. "That wasn’t anything?"
I faked a grin, one that seemed weak. "It’s late. We should go inside." I pleaded with him.
He didn’t move. The firelight flashed on his face, magnifying his jaw.
"If you don’t want to talk, I won’t force you," he finally answered. "But don’t lie to me."
Something about the way he said it made my chest hurt.
I glanced away, my fingers trembling as I wrapped the blanket tightly about my shoulders. "Lies are easy, Alexander. They don’t hurt as much as the truth."
A beat of quiet emanated between us. Then, suddenly, I felt his presence behind me—warm, solid.
"That’s not true," he grumbled, so close that his breath touched the back of my neck. "Lies kill the truth?" His fingers ghosted across my arm. "The truth sets one free."
I laughed, but there was no comedy about it. "That’s lovely. But in my experience, the truth just leaves you broken."
He breathed sharply. " bBrowho, Isabella?"
I tensed. "Because if I ever find out," he said, his voice becoming louder, "I swear to God, I will ruin them."
I closed my eyes tight, wanting my heart to stop beating. "You can’t ruin someone who doesn’t even exist anymore."
Alexander stood in front of me suddenly, his hands going into his pockets. "Try me."
I glanced at him—looked at him. This agreement was meant to be nothing more than a contract, nothing more than a business deal. Yet, here he was, standing before me with fire in his eyes and a calm type of anger I had never seen before.
Well, there is something I need to tell you. That is my past while I was still in college.
Alexander’s face didn’t change, but something in his stance moved, stiffness in his shoulders.
Well, l while I was in school, there was this guy named Greg.
"I met him in my second year in college. He was… everything a girl could dream of.
Alexander stood quiet, waiting.
I let out a shaky breath. It was great until it wasn’t. Until he started telling me what to dress and who to speak to. At first, it looked like love, like security, then it became control. He separated me from my friends and made me question myself. And the first time he lifted his hand to me, he sobbed afterwards and pleaded for forgiveness, which I did.
Alexander’s fingers tightened into fists. "OK, what happened next?"
"He continued with the same attitude." My voice was barely above a whisper. "I could not bear it any longer. I packed my stuff, went out of his life, and never looked back. Every time I tried to allow someone in after that, I heard his voice in my brain, telling me I wasn’t enough. That love wasn’t safe."
The fire crackled between us.
Finally, Alexander spoke, his voice calm. "If he were still alive, I’d kill him."
I blinked at him, smiling. "That’s not funny."
"Who said I was joking?"
A shudder raced down my spine, not from fear but from the sheer focus in his eyes.
“Alexander, all I just need is someone who won’t turn love into a weapon."
He sighed, running a hand over his hair. "I don’t know how to love, Isabella. All I am trying to do is just learn. My father's mentorship never allowed me to be exposed to a romantic relationship."
My gaze focused on him.
“There’s something I want to show you.” He said as he asked me to follow him.
I followed him inside the house, past the beautiful stairs, and into a poorly lighted study. He went into a drawer, took out an old leather-bound book, and gave it to me.
"What is this?" I asked because I could not remember us talking about anything relating to that as he brought out a journal, "It's my mother’s journal."
I stroked my fingers across the old cover. "Why are you showing me this?"
He swallowed hard. "Because if I am going to ask you to trust me, you deserve to know who I am."
"Alexander is different from his father. He wasn’t the biological son of his father. Hence, if Richard knows this, he will break him."
I looked up at him. "Your mother knew? He. Affirmed without his father's knowledge of the secret, shocked, I closed the book and met his eyes.
"No. Because you can, maybe, you don’t know how to love, but you’re trying. That’s more than I can say for a lot of folks."
Something flared in his eyes—hope, maybe. Or anything uncomfortably close to that.
I grabbed his hand and tucked my fingers into his. "If I let myself love you, will you promise me one thing?"
His thumb skimmed across my fingers. "Anything?"
I swallowed. "Promise me that when this contract ends, whatever we have—whatever this is—won’t be reduced to a business transaction."
Alexander’s grasp tightened. Ii sIear." That he swore.
For the first time in a long time, I believed him.
But just as the moment settled between us, my phone rang again.
I pulled it from my pocket and peered at the screen.
Unknown number.
I paused, then replied, "Hello?"
The caller from the other end didn’t say anything, then after some seconds.
"Miss Isabella, this is Attorney James Whitmore. I’m calling concerning the conditions of your marriage contract. There’s been… a growth."
My blood ran cold.
Alexander frowned. "What is it?"
I became speechless because I had a nagging sense that whatever this was… it was going to change everything.
What was the new growth in the contract? And will it risk everything Isabella and Alexander have built?
Find out in the next chapter!
- Writer
